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Ford and General Motors have differing views on autonomous vehicles. GM is planning on launching a number of Chevrolet Bolt EVs in various urban markets in 2019 for a ride-hailing service. Ford, on the other hand, is taking a different approach in terms of powertrain and use.

Ford's top sales executive, Jim Farley said their autonomous vehicle - due in 2021 - will be a hybrid vehicle with a focus on commercial applications. Farley explained that going with a hybrid powertrain would allow their vehicles to stay on the road longer thanks to a longer range when compared to EVs. The company expects their autonomous vehicles to be on the road for roughly 20 hours a day. Using an electric vehicle for this type of task doesn't make business sense as they would need to recharge constantly.

"Anytime you're not carrying goods and people, you're losing money. The most important thing is uptime and profitability. What we see is the [hybrid] is a much better cost-of-ownership model," said Farley.

The constant recharging also brings up another negative for electric vehicles, frequent replacement of the batteries due to increased degradation.

Ford has already announced a pilot program with Domino's pizza to do deliveries in a self-driving plan. Next year, Ford will this commercial idea to the test by putting a fleet of vehicles in a "yet-to-be-named test city" with a number of partners.

I understand both sides of this coin and I wonder what the thought is on how long an autonomous auto should be allowed to drive around before being checked on. I can see this more for commercial transportation than inner city ridesharing or taxi service.

I also wonder just how much added maintenance a Hybrid will have compared to a full EV especially as we grow the battery density, no reason you could not have a local in city autonomous taxi that can last 20hrs between recharges.

As much as I dislike Ford-and today is a day where they could shut down every Ford plant on the planet for all I care-I think they are really on the right track here.

Also, you didn't hear it from me, but that Fusion looks kind of hot in the graphics package pictured....in a good sort of way.

18 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I could see a bunch of autonomous hybrid Ford Transit Connects for city delivery duty.

If a vehicle was truly autonomous it would not need to pass passenger or driver crash test or comfort standards, making it wildly cheaper to build. Humans may well not be needed or wanted in large parts of our economic future.

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The Rivian R1T and Rivian R1S were both shown at the LA Auto Show in November, both claiming a top of the line range of 400 miles. The folks over at Rivian Forums have uncovered a patent filing for an extended battery for the Rivian R1T.
The drawing shows a bed mounted battery with connections for coolant and electrical flow. In addition to providing more energy, the R1T would detect when the auxiliary battery was installed and adjust braking, suspension, and steering to compensate for the extra weight.

Rivian uses a skateboard style architecture which places the entire powertrain and battery system in a platform below the vehicle and then builds the body on top of it. This allows Rivian to have nearly a free hand in designing the body and interior above the powertrain.
Rivian will offer 3 standard battery packs for the R1T:
105-kWh: 402 horsepower, and 413 lb-ft of torque, range of 230+ miles
135-kWh: 754 horsepower, and 826 lb-ft of torque, range of 300+ miles
180-kWh: 700 horsepower, and 826 lb-ft of torque, range of 400+ miles
Rivian claims the R1T will get 80 percent charge in just 15 minutes when using a DC fast charger and a full charge in eight hours using a Level 2 charger.
Rivian says the R1T will begin at $61,500 after Federal Tax credit - likely putting the base at just under $70,000. Production is expected to begin in late 2020 at a plant in Normal, Illinois. The company recently landed $700M in investment commitments, lead by a significant investment by Amazon.
Related:
RIVIAN R1S SUV PROMISES TO GO ANYWHERE ON ELECTRICITY
RIVIAN R1T PICKUP HAS A 400 MILE RANGE AND TOWS UP TO 11,000 POUNDS
RIVIAN LANDS $700M IN INVESTMENT COMMITMENTS

Detroit Auto Maker Rivian landed $700M in investment commitments lead by Amazon. Rumors were swirling earlier this week that Amazon and GM were in talks to provide investment that valued the company between $1B and $2B. GM is not part of this round of investing, but that does not mean GM is out of it just yet.
Rivian plans to introduce the R1T pickup (shown above) in 2020 with the R1S SUV following later. Four more vehicles are planned starting in 2025. The vehicles are set to be produced at Rivian's plant in Normal, Ill., a former Mitsubishi facility.
Amazon's interest in Rivian includes using Rivian's technology to support its own logistics and delivery services. GM's interest comes from CEO Mary Barra's commitment to a Zero emissions future. GM is studying the feasibility of an Electrified GMC Sierra while crosstown rival Ford has plans for an EV F-150.
Click here for more information on the Rivian R1T Pickup

Ford is launching an investigation into its own emissions and fuel economy certification process according to a statement released by the company. The issue was brought to light back in September when a number of employees reported concerns through Ford's internal Speak Up channel.
The concern surrounds Road Load, a vehicle-specific resistance level used in dynamometer testing. Too much or too little resistance will alter the results of the emissions and fuel economy. Road load is determined through engineering estimates that are then validated on the track. Ford is evaluating changes to the road load determination process.
The company is quick to point out that none of the potential concerns involve the use of defeat devices and that no determination has been made on the need to restate Ford's fuel economy or emissions labels.
Ford has hired an outside firm to conduct an investigation into Ford's current processes and has shared their findings with both the EPA and CARB.
The first vehicle to be re-evaluated is the 2019 Ford Ranger with others to follow.

Ford is launching an investigation into its own emissions and fuel economy certification process according to a statement released by the company. The issue was brought to light back in September when a number of employees reported concerns through Ford's internal Speak Up channel.
The concern surrounds Road Load, a vehicle-specific resistance level used in dynamometer testing. Too much or too little resistance will alter the results of the emissions and fuel economy. Road load is determined through engineering estimates that are then validated on the track. Ford is evaluating changes to the road load determination process.
The company is quick to point out that none of the potential concerns involve the use of defeat devices and that no determination has been made on the need to restate Ford's fuel economy or emissions labels.
Ford has hired an outside firm to conduct an investigation into Ford's current processes and has shared their findings with both the EPA and CARB.
The first vehicle to be re-evaluated is the 2019 Ford Ranger with others to follow.

Kia plans to electrify the Geneva Auto Show with a new all-electric concept car. They released a teaser image today ahead of the show on March 5th.
The concept is said to be a design to make the heart beat faster. While Kia kept in mind consumer concerns for driving range, they also are focusing on performance and an emotional design.
In the teaser image, we see a bold front end design with a sculpted hood and LED headlight surround. Tiny antenna on either side are likely rear facing cameras in place of rear view side mirrors. Strong wheel arches give the vehicle a sporty stance.
We'll have more from Kia when the car debuts on March 5th.